Tag: Sound Contracting

Technomad Introduces PowerChiton Series of Amplifier Modules at Infocomm 2008

New weatherproof outdoor amplifier modules provide new design and installation options for outdoor audio systems

Technomad Associates, LLC, a leader in weatherproof loudspeakers and audio systems since 1995, introduces PowerChiton, a series of compact, durable and weatherproof power amplifier modules that represent a new approach to installing outdoor audio systems. PowerChiton modules unite a high-performance, passively-cooled amplifier with an IP66 rated, low-profile enclosure. The powerful combination offers system designers and installers a flexible solution for the many challenges of distributed outdoor audio system design. Technomad first showed the PowerChiton series at Infocomm 2008.

Each fuse-protected PowerChiton module is capable of powering a four-Ohm load to drive a pair of loudspeakers, and providing more efficient and economical use of the amplifier than a powered loudspeaker. The efficient PowerChiton design uses a single passive radiator for amplifier cooling and eliminates all moving parts in the module to minimize failure points. Though optimized for use with Technomad Vienna-16, Noho C and Berlin weatherproof loudspeakers, PowerChiton modules can be used with any two-, four- or eight-Ohm loudspeaker.

Installers further benefit from the PowerChiton module design through Ethernet, twisted pair and wireless interface options. Each module can be used with standard distributed line-level audio but has available expansion options to enable it for use within an Ethernet network, RDL twisted-pair installations, or FM wireless distribution systems.

PowerChiton modules begin shipping in early July and are available in three sizes: 130, 250 and 500 Watts. Each module comes standard with mounting feet for installation. Optional accessories include pole mount adaptors and specialized hardware to install the modules on the back of Technomad loudspeakers.

 

CCS Presentation Systems Installs Technomad Turnkey PA Systems at High School Athletic Stadiums in Mid-Atlantic

BOSTON, June 18, 2008– Technomad Associates, LLC, today announced that CCS Presentation Systems, one of the world’s largest dealers of presentation technology equipment and services with locations throughout the U.S., has finalized three high school athletic installations featuring Technomad Turnkey PA Systems.

Technomad Noho C weatherproof loudspeakers deliver high-quality audio throughout the stadium, from home bleachers to concession stands in the furthest corner

Each Turnkey PA System features two Technomad Noho C weatherproof outdoor loudspeakers for high-quality audio coverage of football games and other athletic events; as well as a complete signal processing rack to produce audio in the press box, including a two-channel amplifier, six-channel mixer, cables, mounting brackets and a dynamic microphone with cable.

The schools include Tucker High School in Henrico County, Virginia, which upgraded to Technomad from antiquated horn systems with poor audio quality. Technomad loudspeakers were also specified for new athletic stadiums at King William High School in Aylett, Virginia; and Our Lady of Good Council High School in Olney, Maryland. The systems at all three schools offer clear voice reproduction and musical output that reaches every corner of each stadium.

According to Gene Wells, Project Manager for the two Virginia projects, he prefers to use Technomad for new athletic stadium projects due to their ability to deliver clear audio to everyone in the stadium. Wells also cites ease of use for athletic departments and weatherproof construction as crucial for high school stadium installations.

Every project is unique, from mounting the loudspeakers to the proper angling to ensure that everyone can clearly understand the audio, said Wells. I am consistently blown away by how two Noho loudspeakers cover an entire stadium. The athletic directors like the system not only because of the sound but also because the loudspeakers maintain a professional appearance on the press box, and the PA systems are easy to operate. As an installer the system is easy to set up and wire, and even in the most unusual installations we are able to position the loudspeakers so the audio reaches everyone. This is due to the very wide dispersion patterns of the Technomad design, which are unlike any other loudspeakers I have seen.

The two Virginia projects differed mainly due to the press box locations. While King William High School has the traditional press box location on the home side, the Tucker High School press box is located in the visitor stands. The challenge for Wells and his team was to ensure that fans in the home stands could hear the audio without overpowering the ears of visiting fans. Wells positioned the loudspeakers straight out angling them slightly to each side to achieve the appropriate balance. The two loudspeakers easily project to the home side, allowing everyone in the 2,800-person capacity venue to hear the live broadcast during games.

The sound quality is amazing, similar to a modern concert venue at maximum volume, said John Carroll, Director of Student Activities at Tucker High School, home of the John Randolph Tucker Tigers. We can easily hear the voice announcing the game clearly through the entire campus. It’s an unbelievable system, especially for a high school, and a million times better than the muffled audio coming out of our old horn system.

At Cavalier Stadium, home of the King William Cavaliers, Wells installed the Nohos on the two press box corners at the top to reach fans on each side. Wells mounted the Noho loudspeakers to fencing pipe atop the press box, using various fly points on the loudspeakers to ensure secure installation. The loudspeakers sit outside in the elements unprotected year round. The mid-Atlantic region regularly deals with a mix of sleet, ice and rain with occasional heavy snows in the winter, and intense heat and rain in the summer.

Cavalier Stadium, which also hosts soccer and track events, will open a concession stand in time for the Fall 2008 football season. The system has been tested to ensure that audio will reach those in line for refreshments, as well as those working inside the concession stand.

Kline Stadium at Our Lady of Good Council High School has a similar setup to Cavalier Stadium inside the stadium. The system, as designed by Lee Bellomy, Account Manager at CCS Presentation Systems in Maryland, distributes audio to two Technomad Noho loudspeakers inside the stadium, and also to a pair of small loudspeakers at the concession stand outside the stadium using a separate amplifier and a fiber connection.

The pattern coverage is fantastic inside the stadium, and what’s amazing is that as loud and clear as the audio is, it never bleeds into the bordering neighborhoods, said Ron Colbert, Technology Director for Our Lady of Good Council High School. I was initially surprised when CCS claimed that two Noho loudspeakers would cover the entire stadium, and CCS offered to remove the system if it didn’t live up to the claim. The Technomads do everything that was promised. The students love it all the varsity teams play here and use the system for warm-up music, and the marching band uses it for announcements during practices. Everything coming out of the system sounds great.

ABOUT CCS PRESENTATION SYSTEMS

Since 1991, CCS Presentation Systems has served customers in the corporate, government and educational sectors. CCS provides full service integration, installation and maintenance of audio and video equipment including interactive whiteboards, projectors, LCD & plasma displays, audio systems, document cameras and more. The company has expanded from a two-person operation to one of the largest A/V integrators in the U.S., with more than 300 employees, sales offices in 11 states and annual sales in excess of $100 million.

ABOUT TECHNOMAD

Technomad Associates, LLC, founded in 1995, designs and manufactures loudspeaker systems for the professional audio and security/military technology industries. The company invented the first reliable full-range weatherproof loudspeaker and now offers eight models ranging in power from the 60-watt Vernal 15 to the 1250-Watt OSLO subwoofer. In 2000, Technomad introduces its range of complete Turnkey PA systems that have turned previous complex integration jobs into simple, one-line orders. Please contact Technomad at 617-275-8898 for more information.

REFERENCE LINKS

Technomad to Introduce Loudspeaker Yokes for Secure Outdoor Audio Installations at Infocomm 2008

BOSTON, May 5, 2008– Technomad Associates, LLC, a leader in weatherproof loudspeakers and Turnkey PA systems for the commercial pro audio market since 1995, will introduce new mounting yokes to address challenging outdoor loudspeaker installations for audio contractors and installers at the upcoming Infocomm 2008 convention (June 18-20, Booth C3613, Las Vegas Convention Center).The yokes will initially be available as accessories with Technomad Berlin and Noho C loudspeakers, two of the company’s more popular loudspeakers for outdoor PA systems in stadiums, theme parks, and other open air venues.

The new mounting yokes are essentially U shaped arms that give the contractor more flexibility for outdoor loudspeaker installations. The mounting yokes improve loudspeaker support on round surfaces such as outdoor poles and columns to provide a more secure installation than traditional mounting brackets. Flexibility is further enhanced when the yokes are used with Allen Products PoleStarÆ all-weather pole and column adapters, available as accessories through Technomad. Together, the Technomad mounting yokes and PoleStar adapters can maximize audio coverage by allowing the contractor to more accurately tilt or position the loudspeakers at the best angle.

Technomad will also show its Vienna 16 and Paris 616 loudspeakers, now available and shipping in new Version8 models. Technomad Vienna 16 and Paris 616 loudspeakers are part of the company’s MP Series, a range of weatherproof loudspeakers designed for permanent installation, indoors and outdoors. The Version8 models add compression drivers that provide an added 3dB of maximum continuous SPL and an added 10dB of dynamic range, ensuring voice intelligibility and musical output at all volume levels, with improved audio quality in the mid-to-upper frequency range.

Technomad Vienna 16 and Paris 616 loudspeakers are also available as part of the company’s Turnkey PA Systems, a full range of complete, pre-integrated, fixed or mobile audio solutions featuring Technomad loudspeakers, cables, mounting brackets, a dynamic microphone with cable, and a 6RU rack enclosure featuring a two-channel amplifier, six-channel mixer, and additional rack space for other equipment including CD players and power conditioners. These easy-to-install, user-friendly systems contain everything needed for rugged, high-quality outdoor sound. Visitors to the Technomad booth at Infocomm can learn more about the Turnkey PA Systems through various product and literature displays.

The College Of San Mateo Overhauls Its Athletic Facilities’ Audio Systems

Below is an excerpt from a feature story in the March issue of Systems Contractor News.

The San Mateo Community College District, College of San Mateo, Skyline College, and the Canada College recently updated the sound systems for several of their sports facilities. Some of the prior systems were around 30 years old or just non-existent, in the case of several outdoor fields.

For all the systems installed, Technomad Vienna and Noho loudspeakers were used. “We found out about Technomad from Lloyd McKinney Associates, and they brought us some to test out,” said Jim Petromilli (Director of Instructional Technology at San Mateo Community College District). “We were impressed with the sound quality and how rugged they were. We worked with them to design a first installation and had nothing but accolades about the sound quality, so we just moved forward and have been very pleased with them.”

REFERENCE LINK

http://systemscontractor.com/articles/publish/article_1961.shtml

Technomad Loudspeakers Installed in Multiple Sports Venues Across San Mateo Community College District

Three campuses standardize on Technomad loudspeakers for indoor gymnasiums and outdoor stadiums

BOSTON, April 29, 2008 – Technomad Associates, LLC today announced that San Mateo Community College District in California has standardized on Technomad weatherproof loudspeakers on its three Bay Area campuses. Skyline College in San Bruno; Canada College in Redwood City; and the College of San Mateo are home to multiple indoor and outdoor venues now using Technomad Vienna 16 and Noho C loudspeakers for live sports and event coverage, with additional venues to follow as the district moves closer to completing a multi-year, multi-venue upgrade project that covers everything from field surfaces to bleachers to PA systems.

This is an ongoing project with one facility upgrade after another, and we have found the Technomad loudspeakers to be highly versatile with excellent audio quality both indoors and outdoors, said Jim Petromilli, Director of Instructional Technology at the San Mateo Community College District. Outdoors, the weatherproof design is ideal for our three campuses, all of which have very distinct microclimates that can include high heat, heavy rains, and rust from bay moisture. We have also found that the Technomad Vienna loudspeakers perform exceptionally well in our gymnasium at Skyline College for basketball, graduations and other events, and we are planning a similar installation in a second gymnasium.

The outdoor Technomad installations as integrated by Petromilli and his team include: five Noho C loudspeakers for Bulldog Stadium, the football stadium at College of San Mateo, with a sixth Noho C assigned to a nearby track and field area; nine Noho C loudspeakers for three baseball diamonds; two soccer fields, each with two Noho C loudspeakers; and three Vienna 16 loudspeakers for a new softball field that opens this spring.

Lloyd F. McKinney Associates of Hayward, California, procured the loudspeakers from Technomad for all venues, citing the weatherproof design as ideal to handle the different weather elements of the three campuses. The company also led the systems integration project for the gymnasium at Skyline College, home of the Skyline College Trojans, due to the height and complexity of the loudspeaker installations and system wiring. Twelve Technomad Vienna 16 loudspeakers were mounted onto concrete beams or steel structures in the gymnasium, with quad amps to drive selected speaker banks depending on the event. Each side of the gym features five Vienna 16 loudspeakers, with every other one facing the opposite direction to maximize coverage. The final two Vienna 16 loudspeakers were installed on a steel structure above the main basketball hoop, aiming down toward the center of the auditorium.

According to Rick McKinney, Vice President of Lloyd F. McKinney Associates, Petromilli and his team requested an indoor demo after experiencing the high audio quality of the initial outdoor Technomad installation at Bulldog Stadium, adding that the wide horizontal coverage pattern of the Viennas and Nohos allows the colleges to cover wide bleacher areas without hot spots.

Indoor reverb is always challenging in a gymnasium since you’re dealing with hardwood floors, concrete in bleachers and other acoustical challenges, said McKinney. The Vienna 16 loudspeakers provide plenty of power and voice intelligibility for Skyline College events, with a smooth and even audio dispersion throughout the bleachers. In fact, the two Viennas above the main basketball hoop cover the entire gym quite well on their own, but the additional speaker banks give Skyline College plenty of flexibility to orient the sound system to meet different requirements depending on the event.

According to Petromilli, the Skyline College gymnasium is the crown jewel of the district-wide sports facilities upgrade a complete remodel of an existing facility that adds a video projection system and free Wi-Fi in addition to the new floors, bleachers, and PA system.

The Technomads replaced a poor audio system that produced a massive echo, he said. It was difficult to hear in certain areas and we received many complaints. The Technomads bring a huge improvement in voice intelligibility, and the audio quality has improved our attendance in a very competitive market. The PA system has become part of the events at Skyline College, with music and additional entertainment for attendees to create an enjoyable experience.

The Noho C loudspeakers at Bulldog Stadium replaced aging horn systems that produced highly distorted, unintelligible audio. Three Noho C loudspeakers are installed on a press box facade at the 50-yard line, with two more mounted on light poles at the opposite side of the field.

“We opted for multiple loudspeakers that produce high quality audio at a lower level so we could achieve even distribution through the crowd,” said Petromilli. “This is also very important during track events; with so many events on the field, the participants can clearly hear their events being called. This includes the separate area where shot-put, javelin, and other events are held. And during football season, music is a more integral part of the experience, especially during warm-ups. The Technomads provide a pleasant musical output in addition to clear voice reproduction. We literally have people from visiting teams all over southern California knocking on our press box door complimenting us on our sound system, music, and overall presentation.”